Game Preview: Wild at Avs

DENVER, Colo. -- The Minnesota Wild returns to the ice, facing off against the Colorado Avalanche fresh off the Olympic break.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Thursday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Stream: FanDuel Sports Network
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Wild at Avs

Wild Record: 34-14-10

Avalanche Record: 37-9-9

2025-26 Series Record: 1-1-0

All-Time Wild Record: 62-56-13 (27-29-8 at Colorado)

Last Time Out

This Season on Wild vs. Avalanche

Minnesota won the series-opening game, 3-2, in shootout at Grand Casino Arena (11/28) before Colorado earned a 5-1 win in St. Paul in the second meeting (12/21).

LW Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota with three points (2-1=2) in the series. C Ryan Hartman has two points (1-1=2). G Jesper Wallstedt is 1-1-0 with a 2.91 GAA and a 927 SV% in starting both games for the Wild.

C Nathan MacKinnon (3-1=4) and D Cale Makar (1-3=4) lead the Avalanche with four points each in the season series. LW Gabriel Landeskog (1-2=3) and C Brock Nelson (1-2=3) each own three points. G Scott Wedgewood stopped 37-of-39 shots faced for Colorado in the first game. G Mackenzie Blackwood saved 28-of-29 shots faced to earn the win for the Avalanche in the second game.

Wild Leaders Against Avalanche

• RW Vladimir Tarasenko leads Minnesota with 35 points (15-20=35) in 48 career games against Colorado
• RW Mats Zuccarello owns 33 points (7-26=33) in 36 matches
• LW Kirill Kaprizov has 23 points (14-9=23) in 20 games
• D Jared Spurgeon owns 20 points (5-15=20) in 63 games

Avs Leaders Against Wild

• MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 67 points (26-41=67) in 53 career games against Minnesota
• Landeskog owns 45 points (21-24=45) in 51 games
• D Brent Burns has 29 points (5-17=29) in 47 games
• Makar has 23 points (6-20=26) in 27 games

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On the Mend

Jonas Brodin: lower body (10 games missed)

Marcus Foligno: illness (two games missed)

Jesper Wallstedt: illness (two games missed)

Full Injury Report

Connections

• LW Yakov Trenin recorded three points (2-1=3) in 16 games with the Avalanche in 2023-24
• C Nico Sturm collected three assists in 21 games with Colorado during the 2021-22 season and helped the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup with two assists in 13 games during the team’s 2022 postseason run
• Burns was selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft and collected 183 points (55-128=183) and 325 PIM in 453 games with the Wild across seven seasons (2003-11)
• Nelson is from Warroad
• D Sam Malinski is from Lakeville

Fast Facts

• Minnesota has won three of its last five meetings with Colorado, including two shootout victories
• The Wild’s 35 all-time home wins over Colorado is its most against any single opponent, while its 137 overall points and 62 overall wins ranks second
• Minnesota’s 27 all-time wins in Denver is tied for the franchise’s second-highest road mark against a single opponent

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.